Boarding the Bus of Positivity (for 24 months of travels!)

debtfreesomeday

£100 is a nice unexpected bonus Chocs. I did a Quidco/bingo thing the other day when I was off work, only because it would make me £11 richer. Didn't win anything and stopped at the minimum I could to qualify, which was £10. Like you said, there's no good money to be made like there used to be and it can be tempting to overspend.

I've updated my snowball calculator this afternoon and we're still 17 months away from our DFD if all is correct, although I'm not entirely sure it is. We should be getting our annual loan statement in a couple of months, so that should give us a correct figure on the loan.

The credit cards are still a bain in our lives, but unfortunately at the moment, we need to use them as and when. At least they are both 0% for over a year, so we will deal with them in due course.

Today hubby had an interview for a new job. If he gets the position, the salary increase is huge for us, but he was due to hear if he was successful this afternoon and it's not looking too promising as time ticks on. Fingers crossed though. He was doubtful as to whether he had enough experience for the role, so it was one of those 'worth a try' applications. He did well just to get an interview in my eyes and it's not like he needs another job, his present one is secure and paid reasonably well, but he likes to be challenged and has got as far as he can in his current role. The money would make such a difference too, but I'm not saying that to him as I don't want him to feel bad if he doesn't get it. What will be, will be eh?

DFSD

Chocforever

Ooh - very exciting about the job interview. I hope it went for him. A positive phone call would obviously be even better.

I think you made a very valid point on the bingo. There is a small amount of money to be gained. But you need to be ill to put up with the bingo chat, particularly if there are only low value cards available.

wantabetterlife

I have everything crossed for your OH and the job....even if he doesnt get it fair play to him for giving it a go!

debtfreesomeday

DH didn't get the job, but we half expected that outcome as he wasn't experienced in some aspects of the role, so no big shock. He's disappointed about the salary, but not so gutted about the actual job!
We'll have to keep plodding along with the salaries we have for now.

It's pay day today, so £100 for car/house maintenance has been moved to the e-saver as usual. I think we may need to get our brakes looked at this month ad they're making a bit of a scraping noise, so I'm hoping that savings pot won't be drained too quickly as we have the car and house insurance to pay in February, so need around £350 to £400 in the pot by then. There's £141 in there presently.

Another ebay sale last night has made another £3 or so. Shame it's not a bit more, but as we know, every little bit helps.

We're driving home for my grandmother's funeral tomorrow. It will be nice to see family for the 24 hours or so we will be there, it's a shame it isn't for a happier occasion.

I'll update the loan and credit card figures shortly, unfortunately the CC balance will not be pretty!

DFSD

debtfreesomeday

I've updated the CC total with the actual balance, but have left the loan for now as I think I have gotten a couple of months ahead of myself and not paid as much off as I thought. I'll know the actual figure when I get the latest statement. Never thought I'd look forward to getting a loan statement!

debtfreesomeday

Just booked myself a haircut for Friday, finally using the £20 voucher I won in a raffle a couple of months ago. Should only cost me an extra £5 if the price the girl told me over the phone was correct. She may change her mind when she sees how wayward my hair is presently, considering I had it cut, probably 8 or 9 months ago if not more!

debtfreesomeday

I really enjoyed getting my haircut today, it felt nice to be concentrating on myself for an hour and I actually like the cut for once! It cost me £8, so still a bargain.

Once again, we have been railroaded into putting people up and feeding others this weekend. I'm annoyed, both with the 'asker' for asking as we don't hear from the people in question until we are useful, and myself for not saying no. I was very much pit on the spot and caught off guard though, so couldn't really think of an excuse quick enough! Also, three in laws have literally invited themselves over for food tomorrow too, which means we'll be catering for 8. We don't even have room to seat 8! I spent £60 in aldi this morning on food and ingredients for the weekend and have to go out and buy more tomorrow now. I need to get better at saying no.

I spent most of today cleaning, tidying and sorting the house. Most of it is now clean, the spare room is now useable once again as I have thrown one bin bag of Ds's big clothes in the loft along with some eBay stuff. I also sorted some more bits for eBay and a small bag of stuff for the charity shop. It's nice to sort and tidy the house. Next Friday morning (Ds is now full days at nursery Fridays so I can get some cleaning done!), I shall start a new decluttering mission. I plan on working through the rooms one by one, leaving no cupboard or drawer untouched! I really want us to only keep the items we love, are of use, or we need. We'll see how that goes with a sentinel husband!

wantabetterlife

Oh DFSD that is such a pain having to cater for all those people...if it was me i would be tempted to do a big pot of soup and stick some part baked baguettes in the oven...cheap and cheerful. If you cater to well for them they are more likely to land again!
Great news on the hair do...£8 is a real bargain!

debtfreesomeday

Hi WABL x As it has turned out, we have had to pass out visitors onto other family members (who they actually came to see anyway!) as all 3 of us have come down with a throat and head virus thing. Think I've escaped the worst of it so far, but DH and Ds are feeling pretty rubbish when the cold and flu meds/baby ibuprofen wears off each time.

I have frozen the 'freezable' food we bought in for the guests and have cooked the planned lasagne for ourselves tonight, freezing leftovers for packed lunches. At least the house is cleaner than it's been for ages!

This morning I ventured out to get some fresh air and picked up quite a few christmas gifts and stocking fillers. I have ticked another two people off now. I am also helping my MIL to buy gifts this year, picking up things I think are suitable and she gives me the money, so am effectively doing two people's Christmas shopping. MIL gets herself in such a state about Christmas shopping and usually spends ridiculous sums of money, buying overpriced stuff from the 'posh shops' in her local area as she leaves it so late then panics. This year, I have convinced her to let me help her, buy things earlier and to let me shop around and save her some money. So far it's going smoothly, but there's still time for her to lose it and spend £10 each on stocking filler wooden toy whistles for her 2 kids and partners, all in their mid 30's (yes, really). Last year she, very generously, spent £100 on a pair of designer slippers and a pair of pj's for me. I (very tactfully) returned them after Christmas as neither fitted, and exchanged them for about 20 lovely and useful items in the sale as everything had gone down to half price or less. I had a shock when I found out how much she'd paid for these things in the first place, such a waste, as lovely as they were.

We also dropped a bag of stuff to the charity shop today, clearing another little space. I am still yet to list the winter clothes on eBay, will try and do so tomorrow.

Dfsd

debtfreesomeday

Up early this morning, most of the house feeling slightly better. DH still nursing what now seems to be man flu, ie. Lots of whinging!

This morning I have emailed a friend of a friend who we never see anymore - don't think we've seen them all year - to say 'let's save some money and not bother buying each other's child a Christmas present this year.' Hope she doesn't take it the wrong way, but I'm cutting back, and as we never see them, the kids don't even know each other anyway! I plan on telling another couple the same thing in a few weeks too. I seem to have developed a new ruthless side!

We have also made a rough meal plan for the next ten days, using storecupboard and freezer stuff we have in. Will only need to buy a little bit of veg.

2nd load of washing is done, unfortunately it's a tumble dryer day today, but needs must.

Dfsd